SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1975

CARE IN USE OF ADRASIVE WHEELS

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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY CALLED FOR CONCERTED EFFORT BY FACTORY PROPRIETORS AND WORKERS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY IMPROPER MOUNTING AND UNSAFE OPERATION OF ABRASIVE VIIEELS.

URED

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LADOUR, MRS. SOO MOK SAU-HA, SAID THAT ABRASIVE WHEEL ACCIDENTS HAD KILLED A WORKER AND INJURED 265 OTHERS IN THE LAST 16 MONTIIS.

+BURSTING OR SHATTERING OF ADRASIVE VIIEELS DUE TO OVERSPEEDING HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAJOR CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENTS, SHE SAID.

+MOST OF THEM INVOLVED PNEUMATIC GRINDING HACHIBES WHICH WERE NOT FITTED WITIL OVERSPEED CONTROL DEVICES AND WERE LONNECTED TO AIR PRESSURE HIGHER THAN THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR,+ SIE SAID.

ACCIDENTS OFTEN HAPPENED WHEN CLOTHING DECAME ENTANGLED IN A HIGH SPEED MOVING WHEEL OR SPINDLE, SO IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT THERE WAS CONTROL ON THE USE AND MOUNTING OF THESE MACHINES.

TO THIS END, MRS. SOO SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD APPROVED I APRIL THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (ABRASIVE WHEELS) REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PROPER AND SAFE MANNER OF USING AND MOUNTING THE MACHINES.

THE REGULATIONS, EFFECTIVE FRON NEXT JANUARY, SET OUT THE VARIOUS COMPULSORY SAFETY MEASURES SUCH AS THE PROVISION OF GUARDS AND PROTECTION FLANGES ONTO THE MACHINES.

BESIDES IMPOSING OBLIGATIONS ON PROPRIETORS, TIE REGULATIONS ALSO CLEARLY STIPULATE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYEES OPERATING ABRASIVE WHEELS.

HOWEVER, MRS. SOO STRESSED THAT LEGISLATIVE EFFORT ALONE COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. +EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS SHOULD ALSO PLAY THEIR PART 11 ATTAINING THE GOAL OF WORK SAFETY. MANY ACCIDENTS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD MANAGEMENTS RESORTED TO MORE AND DETTER PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.+

AS FOR THE WORKERS, SHE WENT ON: +1F THEY COULD JUST EXERCISE GREATER PERSONAL CARE IN MOUNTING AND OPERATING THE MACHINE, MUCH MORE WOULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED.+

AN ADRASIVE WHEEL CONSISTS OF ABRASIVE PARTICLES HELD TOGETHER BY MINERAL, HETALLIC OR ORGANIC BONDS, AND MOUNTED, ON A POVER-DRIVEI! SPINDLE.

DECAUSE OF THEIR CONSTRUCTION, THESE WHEELS ARE DRITTLE AND CAN BURST OR SHATTER IF USED WITH INSUFFICIENT CARE OR AT A SPEED 11IGHER THAN THAT SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

/+BECAUSE OF

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